Andrea Stella, Team Principal of McLaren celebrates with his team after winning the Constructors Championship during the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on October 05, 2025 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images for McLaren)
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Formula 1 News: McLaren clinch constructor’s title amid Norris-Piastri clash drama

Andrew Maitland

(GMM) McLaren sealed the 2025 Constructors’ Championship in Singapore – but the celebrations were overshadowed by a fiery first-lap clash between teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The incident came as Norris moved to pass his championship-leading teammate, with the contact sending Australian-born tempers flaring on team radio.

“Yeah, I mean that wasn’t very team-like, but sure,” Piastri fumed. Later he added: “So are we cool with Lando just barging me out of the way or? What’s the go to there?”

When told by his engineer that McLaren and the stewards were taking no action, Piastri erupted: “That is not fair. If he has to avoid another crash by crashing into his teammate, then that’s a p***-poor job of avoiding.”

PIASTRI IS NOT SMILING: Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren celebrate with their team after winning the Constructors Championship during the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on October 05, 2025 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images for McLaren)

Norris, who also tapped the back of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in the same sequence, dismissed claims he was too aggressive.

“Well, I hit Max, so it wasn’t aggressive on my teammate,” he smiled.

“Anyone on the grid would have done exactly the same thing as I did,” Norris continued. “So I think if you fault me for just going on the inside and putting my car on the inside of a big gap, then, yeah, I think you shouldn’t be in Formula 1.

“The last thing I want is to make contact with my teammate, especially because all I get is questions from you guys. So, you know, I’m the one that can’t afford anything compared to him.

“But the FIA obviously thought it was fine, and the team did too. So, that’s it.”

Piastri’s frustration lingered after the flag. When CEO Zak Brown congratulated him over the radio – “Oscar, back-to-back champions. Tough race. Thank you for uh …” – the driver abruptly cut the transmission.

Witnesses then saw Piastri being quietly pulled aside by McLaren’s press officer before facing the media.

Asked if McLaren’s drivers still raced each other fairly, Piastri hesitated. “Um, yes I think we do,” he said after a pause.

“I don’t think there was any intention of contact, but there was, and I need to look at the replay and see exactly what has happened.”

Pressed on whether team rules might now change, he added: “I need to look at the replay before I make any comments.”

Team boss Andrea Stella admitted McLaren’s so-called ‘papaya rules’ are tweaked from race to race as the championship battle intensifies.

And he saw no issue with Piastri’s fiery radio comments.

“We want our drivers to be able to freely express their opinions on the radio,” he said. “But in this case, we saw no reason to intervene.”